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PONTE VEDRA, Fla. — When Lucas Glover won the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black, it looked like he might turn out to be the quintessential one-hit-wonder journeyman.
And for a while it appeared to go that way.
Glover won again in 2011 then went some 10 years without a victory before winning in 2021 at the John Deere Classic. That breakthrough proved to be a rebirth for Glover, who would go on to win twice in 2023.
Now, after Thursday’s opening round of The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass, the 45-year-old Glover has a share of the lead with Camilo Villegas, who hasn’t won since 2014, and J.J. Spaun. All three are at 6-under-par after shooting 66s.
They are trailed by Rory McIlroy, Billy Horschel and Min Woo Lee, who are 5-under par.
There’s a logjam of players at 4-under — including Alex Smalley, Stephan Jaeger, Aaron Rai, Bud Cauley, Denny McCarthy and Chandler Phillips.
Two-time defending champion Scottie Scheffler, who’s going for an unprecedented three-peat, is three shots off the lead after shooting 69.
Asked about finding the “fountain of youth,’’ Glover said, “Just motivated, dedicated. I kind of just don’t want to be done at 45, honestly.’’
He said his win in 2021 “told me I could do it, and then 2023 after changing to the long putter and proving myself there, I deep down believe I can still compete out here at 45 … and I don’t want to stop anytime soon.’’
Glover’s low round was accentuated by a number of top players struggling on the venerable Stadium Course. Viktor Hovland shot an 8-over-par 80, Max Homa shot 79, Justin Thomas and Matthew Fitzpatrick 78s and Tony Finau a 76.
“That’s the thing about this place: There’s always some really good scores and always some really bad scores,’’ Glover said. “The margins are razor thin here, akin to say Augusta or Bay Hill. You get off just a little, you can make big numbers in a hurry.
“I happened to have a bunch of good numbers today and a bunch of good yardages and was able to be aggressive, and I putted great. Any time you get off to a good start, it gives you confidence.’’
Asked what the difference is in him at age 45, Glover said, “From 10 years ago, 20 years ago, I get pretty ramped up out there. I get pretty excited. I have to rein that in sometimes. A place like here you’ve got to rein in being too aggressive.
“I still have those thoughts about missing short putts and hitting bad shots just like everybody else, but I’ve got some tools in my brain and in my bag now that I can pull out when I’m not feeling my best over a putt or over a shot that I probably didn’t have 10 years ago or 20 years ago.
“That’s probably the biggest difference — there’s just a confidence in what I’ve been able to do and learn.’’
Glover closed his round out in style, with birdies on the final four holes.
“On 15, I had a great number, so that was a green light, on [par-5] 16, if you hit it in the fairway you feel like you should make a 4. I drew a good lie in the left rough. On 17, I happened to know a putt from years past hitting it there and over-reading it.
“Then on 18, the wind switched and I had help all of a sudden. It was an 8-iron number and ended up hitting 9. Then gravity kind of took over for me and pulled it down there to the left, which it does to that hole location if you just get the right number.’’
